I am seriously looking to purchase my first Ferrari. From what i've read, the 328 offers the best of all worlds for me: Style, speed, exclusivity, and relative affordability. Having read many of the members opinions, most of which are quite insightful and intelligent i must admit, what do you think? the alternatives i've considered for less than are in this order: 328 (black/tan) 246 Dino in any color 355 456 (mid-90s version)
Those two right there... very good choice. The 328 does everything right and it's daily driver reliable. However... the 456 will get you into 12 cylinder Ferrari and once you experience 12, you never want to go back!
After extensive experimentation with 3X8's, including a 94 348, I concluded the car for me was a 328 GTB. I had a GTS previous to that, but I like the "stiffys" better. So, 328's were Ferrari #'s 2 and 6 for me, not first. A local friend actually had a 355 first and now has a 328 GTB. So, whether 1st or 10th, 328's are a great choice and almost every owner has a good experience with them. However, potential owners should buy them for the right reasons. On any objective level, they are performance challenged. Motors were compromised with old emissions technology. The chassis design dates to the late 60's when 206's came out. Handling is compromised with lots of body roll and an old tubular chassis that is not that stiff even in GTB form. BUT, they remain very enjoyable to drive because the handling and balance have a certain grace about it and the chassis is very communicative. You always know what each wheel is doing. The brakes, while not large and powerful always have a good pedal feel and consistent performance. The shifter is just a few inches from the steering wheel. The package just wiorks, even if it feels somewhat dated. Some people don't like it, others relish it, because you cannot get the same driving experience from any other car, especially any modern car. A few months ago, a new 430 (Ferrari #7) joined the 328 which will remain. Despite the huge performance increase, much of the same character in balance in grace remains. But the 328 gives me an experience that cannot be duplicated, so it will remain. Among other things, it is beautiful and the last Ferrari that you "wear". Dave
My first and current Ferrari is a 328 GTS. Great car that I could drive every day if I wanted too......looks beautiful....I only wish it had more power. After a while you may find yourself wanting a faster Ferrari as I sometimes do.
hardtop and racerx - gto. wow, you guys are good!!! not even 5 min for a response. thank you! both valid and helpful comments. my uncle has a 456 gta /m which is quite nice. i see that there is a 95 456 on ebay for about 65k right now. what do you think about that one? also i've read a bit about a very nice looking 328 at www.sportauto.cc. any comments on that one. since i live in new york city and currently drive my E320 MB on these pavement-challenged roads, i think that it might be wise to start off with something more manageable like a 328 over the more classic or modern cars b/c 1. i would like to keep it close by and drive often and 2. there's not much opportunity for high speeds around here anyway (unless you are trying to beat the double busses accross 57th st without hitting any pedestrians). finally, in my garage in manhattan one of my neighbors owns a sweet black maranello which i covet dearly!
FerrariNYC, you can improve the performance of the 328 to a modest degree pretty inexpensively with such things as a stainless performance exhaust (stebro, tubi or similar) and a straight ("test") pipe to replace the cat. Add on a good air filter like a K&N, take out the spare tire (for less weight) and get the car tuned properly and you have a pretty swift machine - should get to 60 in nearly 6 seconds. The guy who owned the local (Seattle) Ferrari dealership for many years believes that the cars built up to about '90 reflect much greater quality than those after that date. I believe it - my '89 is rock solid reliable, simple to work on, runs great, and is generally bullet proof. Can't go wrong with a 328 that has been previously well taken care of.
I have had my 328 for 6 years, and working in the business I have had plenty of opportunities to get into another car...but I haven't. You just can't beat the cars for all things you want out of a Ferrari and avoiding the things you don't. Best, Steve
Any of those would be nice as long as they are well sorted out. And any of them could very well be a money pit if not.
I started with a 328GTS in 1989 and subsequently spent some time with a Mondial-t, a 348tb, and a 1989 TR. Am now back to a 328GTS, where I intend to remain. To me it is the quintessential Ferrari for road use. It looks like you think a Ferrari ought to look. It makes the kind of noise you think a Ferrari ought to make. It's comfortable, has enough luggage space, and compact enough for parking. It's got all the power you'll ever need for non-track driving. When you take the targa top off, you're as close to being in a 1960s' F1 fantasy as you'll ever be. Finally the shifting experience is delightful: going through the gears in this car is like a mechanical ballet. (I hate paddle-twitching.) Having lived with a TR for a couple of years, I decided (to my surprise) that I preferred the 328's V8 to the TR's 12. The 12 has to go up higher on the RPM curve to get torque, and sounds too quiet unless you're really up there. The 328 V8 is much friskier, noisier, and generally more fun IMHO.
I started with a 328 GTS. It is definitely a real Ferrari for a good price. In my opinion the perfect "first" Ferrari.
i, too started out w/ a 88.5 328gts......four ferraris later, i've come full circle back to where it all began and it feels great....can't wait.
Umm, ok there are a lot of 328 cars and fans. But I think I'd vote for the 246 or 456, maybe a 355. Sure, these are different cars. But the 328 doesn't have a 12 and is (please don't kill me!) more common. The Dino is a cutie, handels better and is probably faster than a 328. The 355 is fairly common too but has a bundle of performance. If dollars are the same why not go for a top of the line car?
Not even close to as fast and does not handle nearly as well although the overall feel is very similar. And, yes, I have driven both, and, yes, the Dino is so darned cute. Dave
Without question. The 328 is definitely the perfect 1st Ferrari. Or, as in my case, the perfect 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Ferraris as well!
Thank you all! I am sold. Now the search continues. I learned today that the gentleman at Sport Auto has a deposit on the 87 black/tan car that i was thinking about. With these words of encouragement, i think i'm convinced. Any thoughts about mileage? I certainly don't want a garage queen. what would be the ideal mileage per year? Also, what are your recommendations about inspection and would anyone have people they could recommend on the east coast?
If you're not finicky about ridiculously low miles, look for a car that's been driven but well maintained and with a HISTORY of that maintenance. I bought my 328 (late 87 model) with 30k and had the major done, but I drove it for a month before I did the major and it was a 9-out-of-10 car even then. The exact mileage you look for is up to you--but I guarantee you my very well looked after 328 at what, 35k miles now, is a better car than a 10k miles car that's a bit "rough". 328s are around. 13 show up on a search here (ignore the replica listing!): http://ww2.collectorcartraderonline.com/search.php I was a fan of the black cars too, and would have taken Red or black on tan or black interior. I found what I really wanted (red/tan), and my advice to you is not to settle for a different color if a color combo is something that is really important to you (my first 308 was metallic brown--very unique, but I "settled" for it!). I echo everyone's comments here. I do believe the 328 is the perfect first Ferrari--it is an extremely evolved machine (the last of a run with "bones" dating back to the 206/246in the early 70s!). Getting a good one seems to be a great way to own--very reliable, very reasonable maintenance costs with generally low variance, and man does the 328 have a lot to give! It is true pure Ferrari. That said, I'm not sure if I can really see tooling around in Manhattan on a daily basis in a 328 (or most Ferraris for that matter)--though I'm sure people do it, and most of these cars could take it!
Having worked the parts side of the game on both cars, a 456 will "shock and awe" you when spares are needed. On the flip side, a 328 will likely only see the rear bumper of a 456 when the light turns green.
Sorry to digress, but whats with the "First Ferrari" thing ? Is the implication that the ferrari is an animal that is so different to any other automobile that mere mortals need to cut their teeth on a baby one before graduating up to a fiercer specimen of the species ? Is it that the uninitiated newbie must be allowed to gently experience the accelerated and heightened level of maintainance costs by first being exposed to a more basic and simple design thereby coaxing him to sub consciously train himself to wax his pockets for the next maintenance monster ? Its it an implication that by his inexperience with the later models of the species he will not be in full control of the awesome power that he stands to unleash in a never ending and dangerous torrent , shoot through a red light and 'rear end' a Woody ? Similarly, will his first and obviously premature and injudicious application of the loud pedal ( his foot being considered as "untrained" on a baby one ) totally roast the clutch or liberate the pistons from the block ? Equally disturbing is the possibility of stripping all the cogs in the box by flipping paddles the wrong way or not in time because he had not learned to cope with the sometimes unwieldy gate on a 3x whatever yet ? I dont know. But this "starter car" thing has me foxed. If i had the money i would buy the best that earth has to offer, whatever appealed to me anything from one to 50 cylinders and skip the "read me" on completion of installation and drop the clutch out of the dealers door. No ***** feetin' about with a "starter" car mentality. humpff !! Skin.
We interrupt this rant to bring you this perspective: Ferrari's are different than "normal" cars. I know a guy in New England who bought a new red Ferrari, drove it a bit and then parked it more or less permanently because he felt too conspicuous and never got comfortable being seen in the car. If this is you, it's easier to sell that popular 328 than a TR or even a $100K 355 Spider. If the Ferrari experience isn't for you, it's good to know you have a popular, well-regarded, very marketable car. Most of the current generation doesn't know what car maintenance means. People don't check their oil, coolant or even tire air pressure. $1000 is a huge repair bill. A Ferrari is a different animal, and for most of us a more "forgiving" car (308/328) is a wiser move than something like a carb'ed Boxer (gorgeous!) that is likely to need expert tuning and give us newbie owners a lot of heartache as we sadly stare at it in the garage, awaiting the next open slot on our mechanic's schedule. I think what the previous posts said is that a lot of guys have "moved up" into more expensive Ferrari's, only to come back to 328's. The point isn't that you should buy a 328 and then look for a real Ferrari - it's that you might as well start by buying the right car. At least that's what I thought I read in those earlier posts...
Don't forget that the 308 makes a pretty good first F-car too. I was planning on spending more money for a 328 or a 348, but I found the right 308 and I have no regrets.
I am french, and doing the same search as yours ! I definitaly made my choice on a 328 GTB 1989, red/tan. I prefer the GTB, and last version have new front axle geometry, which is -according to friends - is a little bit better, although steering effort is increased a lot. I prefer also to have ABS on the car, even if the system is not so good. I had a lot of discussions with Ferrari dealers, even in MARANELLO (Toni's shop) : everybody told me that the 328 is a very reliable car, and good car. I couldn't find any negative meaning of this car. anyway, it is necessary to check a lot of things before to make the big jump to buy it (maintenance history, cam belt last change, ...). there are many thread on this subject. Check also FORZA buyer guide. Send a picture of your car when you 'll have it !
